With the August long weekend on deck, two things are certain. Many of us are contemplating whether to use a last minute excuse to book Friday off. I say go for it, most of us deserve an extended vacation. On the downside, the Civic Holiday also serves as a reminder that the dog days of the NBA offseason are in full swing. Here’s to all of us getting a chance to kick our feet up.

Each of these days off can work in our favour, though. Never being able to forget the way the season ended is one thing, but the slow process to something resembling forgiveness can be achieved.

The Draft, Free Agency, and Summer League have all provided a welcome boost to morale. Especially the play of Stormin’ Norman Powell, who so far has the makings of a potential steal at 46th overall. Yes, even with only Summer League action under his belt.

His jump-shot may be erratic, but a rookie with such a defensive mindset is a rare breed, and the separation created on offense he showcased in Vegas point to a bright future with this organization. The kid might even already provide the most hustle on this roster, that is unless K-Low wants back in the ring. Hey, stranger things have happened.

Now, the offseason noise has settled down, and with NBA TV back to running their Hardwood Classics and old-school dunk contests on the regular, addressing the upcoming season will only start to ring louder as we go. Where questions begin to translate into expectations.

Whether they’re justified or simply existing as hope is up for debate. So let’s start the conversation. Feel free to chime in, even if your favourite play is running the pick-and-Troll.

It’s difficult to say when we’ll be able to have a firm grip on what this reboot truly has to offer, at least as far as this season goes. It’s also hard not to let last season’s road trip reference point seep into the discussion. The back-half of the now infamous six-gamer, smack dab in the middle of winter, one that saw the Raps’ fortunes change for the worse. Let’s rehash the experience, as being a glutton for punishment is in our sports blood.

We all remember game 32 in Portland, where Toronto owned a shiny 25-6 record coming in. And to their credit, backed up the notion that they belonged in the NBA’s upper echelon with an all-out, overtime effort. Three days later, the armour began to crack, with Golden State providing the first reality check. Only to be followed up by a Phoenix dismantling. Not to mention the next 31 games after the fact, where 25-6 transformed into a 15-16 disappointment, and a team on the brink of losing its way.

I can’t pretend to sit on a throne here and act like I didn’t get caught up in the false hope, as I will admit that visions of an Eastern Conference Finals’ appearance got the best me before and after that battle with the Blazers.

What contributed to the Raptors’ downward slide? Well, how much time do you have? Injuries, strength of schedule, and the inability to incorporate the frontcourt into the grand scheme (though a scheme without a blueprint wasn’t so grand in the first place). Let’s see, what else can I harp on, oh yeah, the sloppy pick-and-rolls, random moments of actual crisp and unselfish ball movement that weren’t capitalized on, and to hop on the Tulowitzki train for a baseball reference regarding the defence: “Don’t give me this olé bullshit!”.

All of these factors help place blame. But what makes those faults tick? All signs point to a damaged culture and personalities butting heads. Well, in comes DeMarre Carroll, the acquisition who can only help facilitate a change.

With Carroll never surpassing 17 minutes per game throughout his tours in Memphis, Houston, Denver, and Utah, only to catapult close to the 33-mark with the Hawks, some would suggest that the results from Atlanta’s disciplined system won’t be seen in a vastly different environment. A valid consideration, and there will undoubtedly be an adjustment period. But where there’s a will, there’s a chance to flip the script.

How does Carroll stack up with those liabilities? As for fighting through injuries, look no further than playing through a buckling knee sprain in the postseason. How about his 6.1 boards Per 36 Minutes and 8.7 Per 100 Possessions while predominantly roaming the 3 and capable of moving to the 4 when needed. Which can only aid the Raps’ rebounding relief effort. The 100 possessions category also comes with 2.2 steals, and he can net them in a variety of ways. Then comes his steady and even increased 3-pointers made, as well as his 3-point percentage from the regular season to the playoffs (1.7 to 1.8 and .395 to .403). The perfect role player? I’d have to concur.

Carroll also directly effects JJ and PP, two players this fan base wanted to see receive a more sizeable role, and we seemingly have gotten our wish. Whether it’s by default over the size of DC’s contract making it difficult to find an upgrade at Power Forward is now a moot point. A rotation between the two with a little Louis Scola mixed in and DeMarre taking over when the matchup calls for it has the potential to hold the fort down at the 4.

Essentially, if you morphed Johnson and Patterson into one player, Carroll would assume the identity. His two-way presence might even rub off on Lowry and bring back his physical brand of basketball. But more on K-Low and his partner in crime in a bit.

This town lost a fan favourite in Amir, but you can pencil in Carroll as the next in line. All of a sudden DC being the team’s highest paid player doesn’t sound so weird. Well, it still kind of does. But it’s how Toronto has to operate if they want to employ anything more than a 4-seed squad with a first-round exit strategy.

Question: Will JV and T-Ross finally cement their “core status” or continue to roam the fringe?

Expectations:

Just when we think a corner is turned, we end up stressing over Valanciunas’ inability to mesh with the league’s new “small ball” direction. As for T-Ross, contributions from downtown are a nice distraction, but we’re left dwelling on his dwindling defensive prowess and extreme lack of assertiveness in the offensive set.

On the surface, both are considered to be part of this team’s core moving forward. Yet when you look at the new makeup and what may come as soon as next year, their potential has to be somewhat realized in short order for that to continue. Especially considering both have impending contract situations.

Ross’ preferential treatment needed to stop, compared to JV at least, as chance after chance has been given. I realize his ankle problems have been making the rounds, but the right move has been made moving him to the bench. The expectation is now for Ross to become Lou Williams’ replacement. How’d that role work out for not-so sweet Lou? Streaky scorers tend to have long careers, but also one that includes many stops along the way. I’m fine with Ross becoming the new stop-gap.

Regressing almost across the board in his Per 36’s doesn’t bode well either. A dip in points, steals, rebounds, free-throw attempts, free-throw %, and 3-pt %. All the while joining the decline party was his overall PER and true shooting percentage.

Optimism could be in order with the Raps’ new defensive mandate, however. It could spark something for the former above average wing defender, though optimism is known for clouding one’s judgement.

Back to JV, who despite his flaws remains a vital cog. He’s feeding the press what they want to hear. Working on a jump-shot, while attempting to improve his quickness, footwork, and predictability. Ok, i threw in that last one. True story, though.

There does come a point where if something is not woking, the current solution may be the problem. If JV can’t defend past the interior, or maintain the pace the Raps want to play at, it makes sense to send him to the bench in important situations. However, how are we ever going to see him evolve if he’s not given the opportunity to fail and learn from it. It’s an uphill climb, I get it, but as much as Toronto wants to emulate Golden State, the personnel doesn’t match the requirements.

Throw in the fact that the annual catch-22 rears its ugly head while attempting to mask one deficiency that only leaves another (on the glass) wide open to be picked apart by your opponent. You do all you can to keep up with a trending league, but at the same time, at least attempt to balance it out if what you employ calls for it.

Here’s two that could help the situation, if they can get out of their own way that is.

Question: Are we about to witness K-Low and DeRozan transform into true leaders?

Expectations:

Remember that time when this duo was closing in on comparisons to the Splash Brothers? Looks like “analysts” were a little to presumptuous on that one. Nevertheless, it’s fair to say this backcourt started to read their own press clippings. The only way all of these scenarios reach their pinnacle is when DeRozan and Lowry totally buy in to what Masai and company are trying to achieve.

Faith should still reside that they’ll reach at least the conversation of the elite once again, but more importantly, the next step in leadership. Motivating factors exist for each to boot. I wrote about Lowry recently in regards to the influx of new faces at his position, as being pushed could be exactly what he needs to turn back the clock. I tend to rip on Lowry more often than not, that’s just tough love, but I won’t stop reiterating his reckless running of the offense until his tendencies move more towards the team. A good starting point would be to stop begging for calls. The other team already scored in transition and you’re still talking shop with the ref?

K-Low: you had this city on lock, and it’s there to take back if you so choose. If you’re not careful, your trade watch part-two could become a thing.

DeRozan might truly hold the keys to this revival, though. His main incentive being monetary based. If fantasy sports has taught us anything, it’s a safe bet to go all in on player with a massive payday ahead of him. Those spurts throughout last year where DeMar took his game to the next level, even adding the title of precise ball distributor to his resume, may very well offer us some extended enjoyment this season. But as always, he’ll have to kick the habit of his ill advised mid-range game.

The trickle down effect on this franchise’s future is also at stake. Carroll’s structured attitude can only stretch so far, and the last thing Bruno and Bebe need is to continue to soak in the status-quo environment. Along with Wright and Powell, who both should see regular minutes as the season moves along.

If Toronto does find a way to answer these questions, meet the pressing expectations, and manages to silence their past, not only would the annual problem of drawing major Free Agents have a chance to be overcome, but DeRozan could start thinking that max-dollars isn’t an absolute necessity.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/07/30/winter-is-coming-questions-and-expectations-for-the-raptors-reboot/feed/33Three-Point Play: Examining The Raptors’ New Triohttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/07/08/three-point-play-examining-the-raptors-new-trio/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/07/08/three-point-play-examining-the-raptors-new-trio/#commentsWed, 08 Jul 2015 13:00:48 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=55490The Draft and Free Agency have seemingly treated the Raptors well. With the Point Guard position receiving new additions, the present and future of the team's floor generals are due for a discussion.

Perhaps it’s my withdrawal symptoms kicking in, but Summer League hasn’t been this watchable for quite some time. Maybe I’m just enjoying Mario Hezonja’s debut against inferior opponents a little too much. Which reminds me, Super Mario looks the part and then some. What happens in Vegas, will most likely begin to haunt opponents in short order.

Orlando has built a group that screams potential, and at the very least they’ve joined the conversation to battle for the 8th-seed. The last thing Toronto needs after taking a step back last season is another up-and-coming team clouding the Conference picture. Yes, you can still label a team a failure despite them setting a franchise record in wins.

The Raps’ schedule doesn’t kickoff until Friday night, where they’ll be suiting up against Sacramento. If you’re one to usually scoff at Vegas Ball this time of year, I can’t take issue with you, its track record isn’t particularly noteworthy. However, a few intriguing factors could change your mind, and your channel.

Among them are a chance to check in on the progression (if any) of the usual suspects, Bruno and Bebe, as well as draftees Delon Wright and Norman Powell, and the one who continues to lurk in the background, the talented DeAndre Daniels.

Not to mention the fact that it’s basketball in raw form. Small crowds with minimal distraction, and an atmosphere where every single participant is trying to prove something. Besides, it starts at 6:30pm, there’s plenty of time for the rest of your evening. Just be weary of HOV lanes, and on the lookout for silver-black-and-white walkers.

It’s probably a good thing the Free Agency chaos has begun to cool off.

Examining how the Raps’ most recent addition, Corey Joseph, potentially affects Toronto’s future direction is the next step. This squad is creeping closer to a trending-north return, at least on paper. And the new-found excitement is helping provide a much needed stress release.

Despite LaMarcus Aldridge existing as a fantasy pick-up all along, the Raptors were dealt a few favours in the process. For starters, a player of his caliber simply holding a meeting can only aid this franchise’s capabilities in the marketplace moving forward. With troubling tax laws an annual roadblock, the lure of Toronto will seemingly always need an outside push.

It also furthers the developing interest in players who don’t necessarily jump ship to the most “mainstream” situation, as basketball decisions are trending upward in their own right. Keep your head up, Knicks’ fans, Kristaps Porzingis offers hope, even with Carmelo’s sabotaging ways.

And hey, at least Aldridge stayed in the West. I’m now looking forward to the upcoming Warriors-Spurs Conference Finals.

Or, as Bill Simmons put it:

Even if it's for 1-2 years, Duncan-LMA-Kawhi is an all-time holy-shit level frontline. I voted all 3 for All-NBA last season.

Speaking of high hopes. Aldridge’s assistance also trickled down to the Raps’ roster. After his decision was finally made, thoughts immediately shifted to the notion that San Antonio’s new arrival would likely force the Spurs to relinquish Joseph’s rights. In which Masai and company wasted little time benefitting from the situation, landing the underused, yet up-and-coming point guard with the Pickering, Ontario pedigree.

Considering the void in the frontcourt left by Amir Johnson’s departure to Beantown, hopes that Aldridge would ultimately choose Phoenix, where the same scenario could have played out making Markieff Morris available, arguably would have provided more satisfaction.

But in the end, there’s no complaints in acquiring a player coming from a disciplined and ball-sharing environment, while adding more firepower at such an important position in the process. On the surface, the amount of cash forked over caused a number of double-takes. In case you missed it, or bypassed the link above, Zarar Siddiqi quickly put out the fire:

The number looks high now, but the deal will become miniscule in Years 2 and 3. It works out to 8.3 percent of the cap in 2016-17 and 7.4 percent in 2017-18. That’s when Joseph should be hitting his prime, which could make this contract a bargain.

Still, in the spirt of the forever roller-coaster of emotions the Raps supply, a sobering dose of reality was required the next morning. It wouldn’t be a Toronto party without one. Which brings in the questions the acquisition of Joseph could eventually manifest into.

Back To The Future

Kyle Lowry will remain this team’s leading heart-and-soul moving forward, along with playing an added integral role in the development of the new back-up point guards. How fast the two 23-year-old kids can make substantial contributions largely depends on whether Casey and K-Low can manage a proper mentoring process.

This is where it gets messy, the relationship between Head Coach and floor general doesn’t exactly embody a perfect match, meaning patience is the right course of action for fans and execs alike.

Joseph has has earned his stripes. But what if Wright’s also a quick study, and his defensive calling-card begins to impact games sooner rather than later? Playing all four years in College only backs the thought. Lowry’s service to the team would then be deemed a success, but wouldn’t that also lead to his days in a Raptors’ uniform ultimately being numbered? As per the moment, neither Joseph or Wright translate well to the two.

Well, not necessarily, as there’s room for all three to help each other immediately, and eventually coexist evenly. The Raps’ usage of Lowry roaming off the ball is usually a focal point, and the proposition of the trio forming a two point-guard set rotation would be prosperous. Problem is, by the time Toronto is ready to be considered a contender, the young guns may have already surpassed K-Low.

But wait, the hits keep coming. Off-court obstacles do their damnedest to interfere as well.

DeMar DeRozan’s impending payday represents the team’s most pressing financial dilemma. Judging by the fact that DeMar’s name was bandied about when courting prospective Free Agents, it lends itself to the idea that the plan is to back up the brinks truck and load Derozan’s pockets before the 2016-17 season.

The looming and significant cap rise across the league can ease the burden of where money can be allocated, but mix in those four first-round picks over the next two years with thoughts of going all-in on the Free Agent class of 2016, an elephant in the room will undoubtedly appear.

That Kevin Durant led class includes the unrestricted likes of Joakim Noah and Al Horford, while also featuring the restricted Andre Drummond and Toronto’s own, Jonas Valanciunas. With the state of the frontcourt as we speak, and the fact that the Raps might even go with what they have, one has to think a major play will be made. Which at that point, the Raps might even be interested in moving Lowry’s contract via trade.

There’s still a major factor I have yet to give its proper due, and that’s Lowry himself. If his old-self reappears, it can go along away in silencing the idea of him moving on.

I’m referring to:

The one who relishes drawing the charge.

The point guard who gives the same effort at both ends.

An opposite version of the three-year decline in Assists Per 36 minutes.

Back, or closer to his 11.8 Win Shares of 2013-14, not the 7.1 level of last year (Offensive drop: 8.4 to 5.1, Defensive: 3.3 to 2.0).

The more organized, and less isolation-style example being set (I know, the latter is likely impossible in this offense).

The player who didn’t post his worst True Shooting % of his career last season (.527).

A team leader who has the capability of seamlessly fitting into the new defensive-minded culture shift that Masai is trying to install.

And above all, a completely healthy K-Low (slack is definitely given where it’s due).

With a first-round pick, and offseason money spent at the same position he holds, one would think that can spark the fire of rejuvenation, where most of these attributes can make an appearance once again. Lowry may be superior in talent and experience, but the backups promise might be serviceable enough going forward for this organization to concentrate on filling holes elsewhere.

A little saving grace comes in the form of the timeline the execs actually give Wright. Signing Joseph could be argued as a proactive approach to ensuring Lowry has a quality backup. Though with Bobby Portis still avaialble to draft and aid the club’s most pressing need at Power Forward, that’s a bit of a stretch.

There’s three years left on his contract, but Lowry needs to prove himself once again to see a future extension, or even its final year. He led this franchise’s resurgence to relevance, it would be a damn shame for the ending to have already started.

Happy Summer League, folks. Here’s to a Markieff Morris acquisition in the days ahead.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/07/08/three-point-play-examining-the-raptors-new-trio/feed/72Canada Day Vibes: Raptors’ Road To Redemptionhttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/07/01/canada-day-vibes-raptors-road-to-redemption/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/07/01/canada-day-vibes-raptors-road-to-redemption/#commentsWed, 01 Jul 2015 13:00:10 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=55011A successful draft was the first step, now Free Agency is on deck. With the current state of affairs in limbo, can redemption take place?

To all those who had the foresight to book Thursday and Friday off, enjoy your long weekend. But either way, today is a much needed break from the work-week grind for all of us. It’s also a time to celebrate, spend time with family and friends, while feeling proud to be Canadian. Well, minus the shame of the environmental and health destruction that the irresponsible development of the Oil Sands provides. Just a reality check, this is the Republic after all.

Canada’s sports scene is no stranger to that sense of pride, regardless if opinions are like you know what. On the mainstream level, we may play the background more often than not, but does that really matter when each city’s passion can rival any fan base out there?

Toronto, for the most part, is viewed as the enemy through the rest of the country’s eyes. Yet in the big picture, we have each other’s back (or so I hope), even if you live in Montreal or Ottawa. A special shoutout to Vancouver is in order, as the NBA would be a better place if two Canadian franchises were still roaming the hardwood.

As of this article’s publishing, NBA Free Agency has been live for nine hours. Canada Day aligning on the calendar is nothing new, but can still offer up a chance to keep the good vibes flowing. Time will tell if that’s just false hope rearing its ugly head or perhaps the Raptors actually land a few quality pieces. Free Agency is about to send the basketball world into chaos, as a result, opening up the trade market even further. Two avenues that will prove to be pivotal stops on the Raptors’ road to recovery.

Now, let’s get this party started.

“We’re Open For Business.”

Those magic words are what every fan of a squad in need wants to hear, and by all accounts, Masai Ujiri isn’t just giving the media empty soundbites. The unexpected LaMarcus Aldridge news undoubtedly adds an entire new dimension of possibilities, even if Toronto seemingly sits as the long-shot to score Portland’s force in the middle.

It’s difficult to keep our imagination in check, the jolt this team would receive from an Aldridge addition is a tantalizing one. A mobile, dual-threat Power Forward (if only) who thrives equally in the post as well as from mid-range (it still has a place in today’s game). The Raps’ 26th overall ranking in total rebounding would welcome an instant makeover with open arms, less plotting in the interior would give K-Low and DeRozan some much needed room to breath, and the pressure on Valanciunas to become a focal point would be alleviated. Alright, alright, I’ll snap out of it.

If the Raps do in fact hold the least appeal among potential suitors, we still made his shortlist, which in itself can only help the luring of other quality names. Every time we think about what could have been, the 2006 draft becomes increasingly painful. I usually applaud GM’s for taking risks on what they believe in, but the margin of error made by selecting Andrea Bargnani over Aldridge has haunted this organization ever since. I’ll cut Colangelo some slack, however, as 19 players selected in that first round are currently not suiting up in the NBA, even our “beloved” Kyle Lowry was passed over until 24th overall. But i digress, let’s get back to the business at hand.

You can add a couple names to the rumour-mill mix. Bismack Biyombo’s shot-blocking presence and rebounding prowess offer an intriguing and helpful skill-set. But when another Blazer, Wesley Matthews, joins the discussion, we proceed to stand at attention. Terrence Ross is running out of chances to prove his worth, while Matthews immediately stretches the floor in a way Ross apparently will never be able to do. This presents a chance to kill the waiting game. Matthews’ supposed clean bill of health by the start of next season is an encouraging sign, but an Achilles injury does leave room for hesitation. Especially considering the likely asking price.

If the Raps’ brass are intent on forcing the T-Ross issue, Matthews and other candidates such as Khris Middleton, and to a lesser extent, Iman Shumpert, open the door for the elephant in the room to poke its head out earlier than originally thought. DeMar DeRozan is sure to opt out of his final-year player option heading into the 2016-17 season, and attaining unrestricted status to boot. At that point, thanks to the league’s impending new TV deal, the cap will have increased to a level where contracts will reach new heights. Whether it’s a max-deal or not, DeRozan is about to seriously cash in. The question is, will MLSE and Masai be the ones handing him the paperwork?

Is DeMar a max-player? Well, that isn’t necessarily the main talking point moving forward. Unworthy players will “earn” max-dollars (or close to it) with more regularity as we go. It’s becoming the nature of the system. Now, while it’s within Toronto’s reach to shell out in back to back years, the Raps’ could get proactive and deal DeRozan as soon as this offseason when the return would be at it’s strongest. The odds are slim, but you can’t rule out a roster overhaul.

Speaking of changes.

New Blood:

Let’s put it in reverse and go deeper into Draft night, an evening that shed some positive light on this organization. The script has yet to be written, but when a team says goodbye to one of their more inconsistent and one-dimensional members, while at the same time welcoming a potential aid to a major weakness, not to mention topping off their first-round picks over the course of the next two years to make a grand total of four, it should be deemed as a success.

Greivis Vasquez was an important part of the Raptors’ movement, but proved to be expendable over time. Vasquez deserves recognition, though, the spark and clutch element he supplied to a stagnant group was at times invaluable. Still, there’s only so many times a player can dodge questions about their presence on the defensive end before a franchise decides to pull the plug. Boosting the available cap space in the process made this transaction a no-brainer. This city wishes GV luck, but nice doing business, Milwaukee.

Enter Toronto’s first-round pick. The 6’6″ defensive-minded Point Guard from the Utah Utes, Delon Wright. Winner of the Bob Cousy Award for the NCAA’s best at the position. How many times have opposing guards broken down the Raps’ perimeter defense with relative ease? A massive flaw in the this team’s “system”.

The book on Wright suggests poor shooting with a troublesome jumper and just 29.9% from downtown in his senior year. But it also advocates for a stat-stuffer with exceptional anticipation at both ends, and the knack for getting to the rim. Opportunity is ripe for Wight to be handed meaningful minutes off the hop, even if he’s relegated to backup duties.

Wright does face a learning curve, but if the upside comes to fruition, that script could include a chapter where Lowry doesn’t fulfill all four years of his recently signed contract.

This is not a Bruno scenario. All signs point to Wright’s calm demeanour and polished mindset. At least now with the Raps’ newly founded 905 D-League squad, we’ll be able to witness first hand if Bruno’s nervous hands and deer-in-headlights disposition have progressed. That 905 logo, however, feel free to insert Kramer’s “Don’t look at me, I’m hideous” line, here.

At the risk of using the most overused reference of all-time, Bruno literally may have been “Two years away from being two years away”. A disappointing thought, but he still owns plenty of potential to prove something to his critics, as flashes (in very small doses) of intangibles have been on display. How he fits in the Raps’ current state of affairs is up in the air. Which brings us the road presently travelled.

Future Fireworks?

The league has evolved to a point where life behind the arc, efficiency on the pick-and-roll, and the ability to drive the lane take precedence above all else. This is not groundbreaking intel, as less emphasis on the traditional big has been brewing ever since Damon Stoudamire was coming off screens by Carlos Rogers. But what will happen if the offseason proves to be a bust? What if the value added to the roster is minimal at best, can the status-quo learn from their shortcomings?

The four left standing in the playoffs (Warriors, Cavs, Hawks, Rockets in case you’ve been on vacation) were the same four who finished the regular season in the top five of 3-pointers made (per game and total), and in the top seven of 3-point attempts (per game and total). The good news is the Raps reside an encouraging 9th and 8th respectively (per game and total).

The discouraging part is the majority of those threes were jacked up with no discipline. The separation begins when those top four also occupy the top ten in assists (per game and total), while the same category showcases Toronto’s indecisive ball movement as they ISO-lated themselves to the point of 22nd overall status (per game and total).

Wild and disorderly attempts only breed a lack of box-out fundamentals, and a lack of box-out fundamentals leads to poor position, poor position makes for inadequate rebounding, inadequate rebounding morphs into easy transition buckets the other way, and easy transition buckets the other way calls for yours truly to throw his TV off his balcony.

What if Amir Johnson and Lou Williams are both re-upped? That notion only lends itself to the same old story. An encore presentation of last year’s bitter disappointment cannot repeat itself. We can’t relive Lowry’s gambling problem, the James Johnson roller-coaster, Dwane Casey’s somewhat-forced misusage of JV, or the lethargic vibe this team gives off in general. Hell, Patrick Patterson, despite his flaws, might have been the only player who served up what he’s supposed to on a nightlly basis.

Just because “small ball” has risen to the forefront, it doesn’t mean the backseat positions will ever dissolve. But, if you can’t manage the mentality, or acquire the players to help the new-school NBA work for you and not against, this team will self-destruct by the All-Star break. And we’re hosting the event.

If Aldridge chooses his hometown of Texas, or decides on California, there’s more where that came from. Toronto as a free agent destination is gaining a bit of traction. As for redemption, all we can do is just sit back and enjoy the ride. Keep the faith? Definitely, maybe.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/07/01/canada-day-vibes-raptors-road-to-redemption/feed/12Should the Raptors Give the DeRozan/Lowry Combo Another Shot?http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/05/20/should-the-raptors-bring-back-demar-derozan-and-kyle-lowry/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/05/20/should-the-raptors-bring-back-demar-derozan-and-kyle-lowry/#commentsWed, 20 May 2015 12:45:44 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=54630Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have played two season together on the Raptors, and the results are less than impressive. Should they be given another chance?

Making assistant coaches scapegoats is the easy part of Masai Ujiri’s summer, and there are far more crucial decisions ahead for a GM that finds himself at a crossroads, where depending on how he fares, he could be a genius or the next Bryan Colangelo.

One of them is whether to give Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan another shot.

DeRozan and Lowry both showed that they can put up individual numbers as long as they remain ball-dominant, and it’s no surprise that were at their best when the other was out. Lowry has always grappled with being a system guy in an offense, and his premature departure from previous stops has come down to personality clashes or lack of fit. In Toronto, he’s been afforded carte blanche and made the most of it, but now that the shine has worn off, what lies beneath the surface is proving to be eerily familiar.

Lowry’s desire to “rescue” the team by taking over the offense is applauded when he hits a pull-up three down 1 with 2 minutes left, but when the same shot doesn’t fall, it reeks of selfishness and speaks to the lack of a reliable offensive system. Individual offense can carry you in the regular season, but in the post-season it needs to be of remarkable quality to even move the needle. We saw better players like Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, and Mike Conley fail to carry their teams on their own in the playoffs, and it’s foolhardy to think Kyle Lowry could use his brand of individual offensive to lead the Raptors to even moderate playoff success. You need to be operating at LeBron James and Stephen Curry-levels for one man to carry you in any significant manner in the post-season.

Injury-riddled in the second half of the season (mainly due to minutes mismanagement), injury is a concern for Lowry, in not so much that he’ll miss extended periods, but that he’ll be playing at 80% because of his pride and his Amir Johnson-mentality of pushing through. The Raptors will (hopefully) be trying a different system next season, and at 30, Lowry will have to learn anew, and this time he may be asked to play a role where he’s a piece of the puzzle rather than the central focus. The jury is out whether he’s able to abide by that constraint.

His backcourt partner, DeMar DeRozan, is a shooting guard who can’t shoot. He’s shooting 43% and 41% in the last two seasons, and 30% and 28% from three, respectively. He’s got a TS% of 51%, which is quite low and would be a lot worse if it weren’t for his FT attempts. The book is out on the six-year veteran, and though his brief stretches of point-forward play fill you with some hope that he can be a creative force, the sample size says he’s a black hole on offense.

His long-exposed weakness of being susceptible to lanky wings playing him tight has shown little sign of alleviation over the years. Whether it be Otto Porter Jr. or Tony Allen, DeRozan remains a fairly easy player to clamp down on when the opposition in keen on it, and if there’s anyone that would most benefit from a fresh approach to offense, it’s him. Lacking a shot and a quick drive, he’ll invariably look for a hard pull-up which defenses will invite him to take until he hits them at a steady clip, which he hasn’t – he shot 35% between 16-feet and the three-point line (i.e., the long two) which was also his most-taken shot accounting for 34% of all field goals attempted. That is a sign of a player being dared to prove he can shoot and simply being unable to.

Combine Lowry’s desire for the ball, and DeRozan’s need for it, and you’re left with a serious question to answer: can these two ever be part of a team-oriented offense that doesn’t use one-on-one play as a serious crutch. In the second half of 2013-14 (post-Gay trade), both DeRozan and Lowry played well. Sure, they failed in the post-season when the opposition was tuned in, but at least in the regular season they fared well. A big part of that was due to Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez being very productive, and Casey playing a good combination of starter/bench lineups.

This season we saw hockey shifts, Patterson’s role reduced to a three-point shooter, Vasquez taking a step back, and Lou Williams being a giant black hole on offense. This translated to the infectious bench-driven ball-movement that was present the season before being overwritten by one-on-one play, which the coach didn’t recognize as a problem only because early results were positive.

Now that we’ve seen the good and bad side of Lowry and DeRozan, the question becomes how you make them efficient parts of a team. The first step in doing so, if Ujiri is even inclined to do so, is to ensure that DeRozan develops a three-point shot this summer. Without that, the Raptors are in big trouble and DeRozan will continue to be two tiers below where he needs to be for the Raptors. Only once DeRozan is at least a 35% three-point shooter, can you start designing offensive sets where he can legitimately serve as an off-the-ball threat. We talk about summertime assignments for younger players like Bruno Caboclo and Terrence Ross, but those pale in comparison to how important it is for DeRozan to take his shooting up a level. If he’s unable to produce this level of efficiency, then the Raptors may as well just ship him while his value is relatively high (at least compared to what it could be in a year).

If Ujiri chooses to give Lowry and DeRozan another shot, the former’s summertime assignments include 1) getting his head around how to guard his position at an average level, and 2) ingrain himself with the new offense the Raptors will be running, so that he can become a part of it rather than the standard-bearer. It’s noteworthy to mention that every other coach has failed at this.

This is all if you decide to keep the two. If you want to make more than cosmetic changes to the roster, Ujiri will have to package one of them for a bigger player. DeRozan is the one that has a greater chance of intriguing teams because of his work ethic, ability to get to the FT line, and age. Despite his shooting issues, there will be interested parties with enough floor spacing that’ll welcome DeRozan in the hopes that he can improve his shooting to average levels.

DeRozan has a player option of $10.1 million for 2015-16, which he will opt out of, essentially making this his contract year. That comes with an associated decline in market value since he becomes a rent-a-player who never fetch you much.

Kyle Lowry is a tougher proposition to move. He’s got $36 million owing on his deal, is hitting 30, has a reputation of being uncoachable, plays a position he can’t defend, and happens to be playing one of the most stacked positions in the league. He’s got a track record where his welcome wears down, and GMs have enough of a sample size where they’re likely to point to the player than the circumstance as the problem.

The reality is that any real Raptors shake-up will involve shipping one of these two, because replacing Terrence Ross, Amir Johnson or even Jonas Valanciunas, are peripheral changes that don’t change the core of this team, especially if the head coach remains the same.

]]>TORONTO, ON - APRIL 22: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors stands during the National Anthem before the game against the Brooklyn Nets in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on April 22, 2014 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)

Old man Paul Pierce once said that the Raptors don’t have the “it” factor that would push Toronto deep into the playoffs. Well, after the Wizards took Kyle Lowry and company to the woodshed, no one’s questioning Pierce’s words any more.

So what’s next for the Raptors? Should they blow the team up and move forward with a near unrecognizable lineup from what they had a season before? With that said, let’s take a look at three Raptors that could move this offseason.

Kyle Lowry. It’s no secret Lowry was almost exiled to the New York Knicks last year before James Dolan called off the deal. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Toronto, as Lowry led the Raptors to a franchise-best 49 wins this past regular season. But all those wins can’t hide the fact that Lowry fizzled in the playoffs, as he averaged just 12.3 points on an ugly 31.6% shooting in the first round series against Washington. At this point, it’s fair to say that Lowry isn’t the player that will take the Raptors into the next level. At 29 and with a laundry list of past injuries, Lowry must be one of the guys GM Masai Ujiri is contemplating of trading this coming offseason.

DeMar DeRozan. Look, DeRozan can score on a variety of ways. He can create his own shots, and score a truckload of points. The problem is that he also takes a lot of bad shots. In other words, DeRozan is a highly inefficient go-to scorer that is risky to have for a championship contender like Toronto. His field goal shooting percentage has gradually dwindled over the past three seasons. In the 2012-2013 season, he shot 44.5% from the field. Then the season after, he shot 42.9%. Last season, he managed to be even worse with a Nick Young-certified 41.3 FG%. DeRozan has two more seasons on his contract with a 2016-2017 player option. Don’t be surprised if Ujiri deals him away, too. Back in April, basketball betting site TopBet had the Raptors at +5000 to win the 2015 NBA Championship. Will they fare better or worse in 2016?

Landry Fields. We might never see Fields in a Raptors jersey ever again. Landry impacted the team that spent $8.5M last season to see him warm the bench. In exchange for that sum of money, Landry played for nine games and averaged a meager 1.8 PPG. Expect Fields to wound up somewhere else next season, as he’s clearly not the type worth retaining.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/05/15/three-raptors-with-nba-futures-that-will-likely-change/feed/61Casey’s Return, and What it Means for Kyle Lowryhttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/05/14/caseys-return-and-what-it-means-for-kyle-lowry/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/05/14/caseys-return-and-what-it-means-for-kyle-lowry/#commentsThu, 14 May 2015 12:50:24 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=54548With word that Dwane Casey is likely to return for 2015-16, attention can now be given to the rest of the roster. Could this lead to Kyle Lowry's departure?

The first offseason domino that was expected to fall will actually remain standing, as Dwane Casey will reportedly return to start a fifth season as head coach of the Toronto Raptors.

After the Raptors limped to the finish line with a regular season record of just 25-25 in 2015 and closed the year with an embarrassing first round sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards, many expected Casey to be relieved of his duties this offseason. By all accounts though, Casey will be returning to Toronto and will simply have some new assistants to help him along.

Whether you agree with the decision or not is beside the point. The decision has already been made. By all accounts there will be no press conference or formal announcement made (you don’t generally announce that a coach who is already under contract will be returning). Masai Ujiri and Casey will simply go about their business moving forward and prepare for the upcoming season together.

The question now moves from “What do we do with Casey?” to “What does Casey’s return mean in regards to the roster construction?”

Toronto played an ugly, isolation heavy offense and somehow managed to parlay it into the third most efficient regular season offense in the league at 108.1 points per 100 possessions. Only the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors scored at a better rate than Toronto. Even though it wasn’t pretty to look at, and got exposed in the playoffs by a solid defensive team in Washington, the Raptors were a great scoring team in the regular season.

The bad news is that the Raptors needed their offense to be elite as it was their defense that failed them horribly. The Raptors had the 23rd worst defense in the NBA, allowing 104.9 points per 100 possessions. The Brooklyn Nets were the only team with a worse regular season defensive record that still managed to make the playoffs.

This mark is unacceptable for a coach who prides himself on his defensive principles. Casey got stubbornly focused on his strategy to rotate and switch on defense, despite it clearly not working with the roster at hand. This is not to say that the strategy can’t be an effective one, but merely to say that Casey didn’t have the horses to run his desired defense.

With that being the case, one of two things will likely happen moving forward:

Casey, or one of his new assistants, envisions a way to adapt his defensive philosophies to better fit the roster that he is provided.

Ujiri shapes the roster at least in part around Casey’s stylistic vision.

My personal belief is that Casey’s return is another indication that significant roster changes may be on deck.

No one would shape an entire roster around a lame duck coach with just one guaranteed year remaining on their contract, let alone a coach without a significant track record of success, but Ujiri will still likely try to provide Casey with some players who better fit his system (see: long and athletic).

As strange as it sounds, bringing back Casey actually gives more credence to the idea of trading Kyle Lowry. The two have notoriously butted heads at points throughout their tenure together, which culminated in some less than glowing comments from Lowry in his season ending interview.

“I respect Casey as a man,” Lowry deadpanned. “He’s a hell of a guy. At the end of the day, like I said, it’s not my choice, not my decision. At the end of the day, yeah, if he’s the coach, I’m a player. I’ve said that a couple of years now. At the end of the day, whoever the coach is, if he’s the coach, then I’ll be back playing for coach Casey.”

Lowry didn’t let up when he added: “There’s a lot of things you can say (publicly), but there’s a lot of things internally that probably need to be fixed. ”There is noticeable tension in Lowry’s words and it’s hard to get around it. The two have issues that they will need to be resolved. If they can’t be resolved, or if there are concerns about Lowry moving forward, then a trade might be the best route for everyone.

Why is this important? Lowry will be turning 30 during next season, plays a style of basketball that could at times be described as reckless, is coming off of his first All Star appearance, and may never have greater value than he currently does. In March Bill Simmons ranked Lowry 16th in his annual NBA Trade Value column. This ranking is easily too high (he was two spots ahead of Kawhi Leonard…pure insanity) but does give a good idea of the type of value that Lowry has around the league.

Would Sacramento trade Darren Collison, Sauce Castillo, and their 5th overall pick (Willie Trill Cauley-Stein or Justise Winslow) for Lowry (the Bill Simmons special)? Or would Utah, who desperately wants their young core to make the playoffs next season, be willing to move someone like Dante Exum for that chance?

We don’t know for sure, and can’t foresee what trades will be available, but calls will assuredly be made if the burned bridges can’t be rebuilt by Casey and Lowry.

How did we get here? I just never would have guessed we’d get to a point where Dwane Casey could have greater security moving forward with the Raptors than Kyle Lowry.

The perceived challenge for any general manager in Toronto has always been the fact that Toronto is a far off place in a distant country with an obscure culture and an unknowable tax code. Toronto gets talked about as though it were some exotic land, even though it has more in common with New York and Chicago than Milwaukee or Minnesota has.

Of course, the problem with Toronto has never really been the city. The city has acted as a convenient scapegoat for the real reason that Toronto has had trouble attracting and retaining noteworthy NBA players: losing.

When it comes to on-court success, the Raptors have one of the worst track records in the NBA, highlighted again this week when they once more failed to win a seven-game series, instead succumbing listlessly to a lower-seeded Washington Wizards team in four games.

The fallout from that series is going to have far deeper repercussions than it seems like anyone wants to talk about right now. People are obsessed with using these Playoffs as a referendum on the past; this past season, Dwane Casey’s past transgressions as a coach and Masai Ujiri’s past decisions as a roster builder. The past, though, is in the past, and the real ramifications that Toronto’s postseason embarrassment will have is on the future — namely Toronto’s longstanding issue of attracting coveted talent to their beleaguered franchise.

After all, if you’re a popular free agent, or a trade target for multiple teams, what is it about the Raptors that would have you excited about signing up? What about that organization says that it’s worth a multi-year investment as a player over the several other options that they’ll have? One can crow about how poorly the Lakers have fared since Phil Jackson left, but that’s still a braintrust that has built Champions, whereas no one in Toronto has ever done so much as win a seven-game series (that includes Casey and Ujiri, by the way, in their respective positions as head coach and general manager).

Look at how readily the Raptors players cast blame for the failures of the club once the season unceremoniously concluded. No one was exactly selling the narrative that that was a locker room people should be clamouring to join. There was finger-pointing, there was coach-killing and there was a general refusal on anyone’s part to truly shoulder blame. They may feel like they are only a piece or two away from making some noise, but they did a terrible job of selling what they have on those course-altering pieces. Looking at the sniping coming out of that Monday afternoon would give anyone pause about signing up to join that foxhole.

Then there is the coach. Externally anyone can see he struggles with designing systems that thrive in the postseason. You can fault the roster construction all you want (and there is a lot of fault to put there) but the Raptors were ripped to shreds in two of their postseason contests and dispatched in two others. A fourth seed should not look worse than an eighth seed, regardless of the roster makeup, especially not when a good chunk of the problems came from tactical errors like where the team was getting shots from and how the pick-and-roll coverages would work.

Casey leaned hard on one-on-one isolation play on offence, insisting that his players were best suited to that kind of basketball. He offered that same explanation when trying to describe his decision making process that led to the abominable offence he had DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay executing early last season. On the one hand you can understand why a coach would want to play to his players’ strengths, but on the other hand if you don’t force players out of their comfort zone they’ll never grow, either individually or as a part of a unit. Against Washington his philosophy was thrown against a wall and beaten as the Wizards routinely coaxed the Raptors into taking terrible shots and the team had little-to-no viable structure lean on when the going got tough. Instead they’d react with a series of isolation opportunities for DeRozan, Lowry or Lou Williams — as though that was the great elixir that would settle down a fumbling offence.

That proclivity also begins to address the internal issues that Kyle Lowry hinted at as a part of his ‘read between the lines’ season-ended presser. The players were clearly not united in how Casey ran this club, and I’ve heard that most of that unrest came from a division between the guys Casey gave a limitless leash to on offence versus the guys that wanted to see more discipline and structure. Casey spoke about wanting to see more ball movement, but then did nothing to stop DeRozan from eating up entire possessions pounding the ball against double- and triple-teams. Casey is a guy that has a reputation for running a tight ship, but clearly by seasons’ end he had lost his power of influence, and if you want a reason why Ujiri may be forced to remove him from his position it’s that fact, and not his tactical errors. You can restructure a game plan, but if the players are disinclined to listen then there is no point. That’s what Ujiri has to figure out before moving on with his coach, and he’ll have to do it before July because potential roster additions will need to feel assured that whatever issues plagued the locker room recently have been corrected before signing on for a tour of duty with the Raptors.

Ujiri has done a good job of positioning the Raptors financially (a fact he was sure to point out at his press conference in Tuesday), but that won’t matter if the company he’s trying to sell people on looks too flawed to join. Last year the idea was that the Raptors were an ascendant team, one that could attract a star, or even a superstar, with the idea that they’d put the Raptors over the top. That narrative was destroyed by the Washington series. Instead they are a team with some money to spend (although it should be noted, not as much as several other teams) but a bad image to overcome. Ujiri wanted to avoid making short-term decisions when it came to contracts so that he had maximum flexibility when he was ready to spend, but he risk he took was that the product he was selling players on was going to remain an attractive one. He was always realistic about what the ceiling was for this group, but he seemed unaware of how far down the floor extended. Clearly this club plummeted far deeper than he ever anticipated they would, and it has made his job as a recruiter exponentially more difficult this summer.

Ujiri’s product is flawed, and is totally in keeping with the club’s history of an inability to build upon mild successes. That’s a hard story to overcome when selling your franchise on difference-making players. Yes, the Playoffs proved all the doubters right about what this team was last year, but the real damage is how it might prevent the club from getting better going forward. A lot of the euphoria over last year’s success was that it seemed like the Raptors were finally on an ascendant path, with new highs finally within sight. After the disaster against Washington the Raptors couldn’t have looked more familiar, and they’ll enter the summer — once again — as a club that has to do as much begging as selling if they want the kind of talent that will right the ship going forward.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/29/playoff-sweep-ruins-ujiris-pitch-to-free-agents/feed/94Raptors’ Season Comes To a Bitter End, The Fat Wizard Has Sunghttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/27/torontos-season-comes-to-a-bitter-end-the-fat-raptor-has-sung/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/27/torontos-season-comes-to-a-bitter-end-the-fat-raptor-has-sung/#commentsMon, 27 Apr 2015 13:00:35 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=54189The once prominent Raptors' season has come to an embarrassing end. The Wizards' series sweep could also result in sweeping changes to the franchise.

Even though the Raptors were still alive (or better yet, gasping for their last breath), it’s not too much of a stretch to suggest the majority of this fan-base simply wanted to be put out of their misery. Well, the Wizards were accommodating hosts, handing out an embarrassing Game 4 defeat, while ending Toronto’s season with an excruciating-to-watch series sweep.

There is something to be said about pride, though, from the players to fans alike. Deep down all of us kept a little bit of hope that a Game 5 would take place. It’s just a shame the feeling wasn’t mutual.

At least Game Of Thrones was able to shake off its slow start in last night’s episode. Anybody else hoping Tyrion and Daenerys will eventually rule side by side? Hey, if you didn’t have access to a bottle of Jack, or a dartboard with Casey/Lowry as its bullseye, distractions have been encouraged throughout.

Still, in a twisted sense, every single one of this club’s hardcore supporters was willing to endure an inevitable evening full of frustration and anger to see this downfall to the bitter end. And we have every right to be resentful, as the amount of support shown to this team deserved a better fate.

I will incorporate Game 4’s gameplay as this article goes along, but this disappointing moment calls for the big picture to supersede the game’s individual perspective. It all connects, in unfortunate fashion.

Just like any hangover, the cobwebs slowly transform into moments of clarity (or regret for that matter). And realistically, the morning after hit home around the All-Star break, perhaps we’ve been our own worst enemy all along as we continued to show faith in this squad despite all the smoke being blown.

This city is starving for success, undoubtedly, so are we guilty of putting this squad on an underserved pedestal coming into this season? The year’s scorching beginning didn’t help matters, either. In hindsight, a little more investigation into what the opposition was bringing to the table should have presided.

A testament to that fact would begin with last year’s second-half charge, and the euphoric opening round against Brooklyn. Which on the surface can even be described as coming close to rivalling Vince Carter in his Raptors’ prime. But as we now wallow in a reality check, it’s safe to say we let the Raps lead us down a path of false hope.

The George Costanza syndrome, if you will:

It now seems like ages ago that the only positive revolving around this franchise was the chance at winning the Andrew Wiggins’ lottery. But with just under two seasons removed from that scenario, would the current levels of “respect” across the league be traded in for that ongoing rebuild? Whether it would’ve been Wiggins or another top prospect, the answer is yes, and no.

There’s reason to believe that Valanciunas’ development would be further along if a playoff atmosphere wasn’t stumbled upon. Less emphasis on keeping the status-quo, while presenting opportunities for JV to learn on the job without Casey’s short leash hanging over his head on a nightly basis could have worked wonders. Along with the actual shaping of an offensive identity for the long haul. The offseason will be a gruelling one, filled with what-if’s, but the Raps are heading into it with not much to show for it in the way of progression. JV remains a second-class citizen in this freestyle scheme.

On the flip-side, it’s just not that simple. Jonas’ stagnant, and somewhat deteriorated skills can’t solely be based on the way he was handled. Intelligence is a two-way street, and Gortat and Nene took advantage of at every turn.

“Progression” is my major issue with Casey. The 82-game grind is played for a reason. How long can a coach keep the Raps’ front-court woes on the back-burner? How long can tinkering with inefficiencies at both ends seemingly not take place? Did Casey lose the room halfway through? Those JJ rumours are beginning to gain legs as we speak.

At this point, the firing of DC would shock very few, and not having the foresight to address (or at least attempt to) what would ultimately be a contributing factor in the team’s failures will not work in his favour. How was the coddling maintained with T-Ross and not with JV? Especially when T-Ross is decidedly more replaceable with how this roster is currently constructed.

Add another flatline for Ross at the charity stripe. Accumulating zero free-throws is nothing new, but as long as were discussing advancement in personnel, move along, folks, there’s nothing to see here. Mix in DeRozan’s 4.25 FTA average, along with Lowry’s own minuscule 2.75 over the course of the series, and you don’t get much of an example being set.

Before Game 2 hit, I stated that if Lowry failed to show up, the benefit of the doubt he has received during his time in a Raptors’ uniform would officially disappear. Yes, injuries played a factor, but does that negate a slippage in overall basketball IQ?

Game 4’s tone was set with K-Low once again heading to the bench with three early fouls. The second was a mockery of officiating, but does that exempt him from his all-too-familiar leaving of his feet for his cheap third? Not to mention his careless technical foul while sending the Ref an attitude-filled message. Love the passion, hate his recent mindset.

The pretty 21-8-4, and 53% from the field line showed up far too late. But at least he’s owning up to it.

In what was once deemed the unthinkable, the notion of Lowry being available has now become a possibility. And that brings us to the offseason, will there be sweeping changes?

Casey isn’t the only one with one foot out the door. Amir, Hansbrough, Chuck, Fields, and possibly even Lou and JJ are all on notice. Come to think of it, DeRozan might be the only player resembling a sure bet to exist in this team’s blueprint for next season.

Just under 12 minutes. The grand total of playing time given to James Johnson across the entire 4 games. I hinted at the rumours, but Casey could have gained a bit of job security if JJ was allowed to help. Defending the wing, the interior, the not-so secret weapon of Pierce at the 4, aiding the disparity in four straight rebounding breakdowns (chalk up another 42-37 difference on Sunday), while fundamentally setting the example for the Raps’ lost art of boxing-out.

In a backhanded attempt at saving face, it is kind of difficult to attack the glass when pull-up jumpers persist to go up with the number of would-be rebounders failing to enter the half-court set before the shot gets heaved. And let’s not forget the defensive side where over-compensating in help situations gave the Wizards numerous second chances.

But back to JJ. Exactly how could he not have helped the rest of this lot with his off-ball movement, his screen awareness at both ends, or on John Wall’s drives that totally ignored the chances for countless uncontested attempts from downtown. The Raps did Washington’s dirty work for them.

102 points given up by the end of the third quarter??

There is one change that is all but guaranteed, however. One would think that TSN’s experiment with Mo Pete has run its course. Please, for the love of all things good in this world, let that be true. The addition of Sam Mitchell to the broadcasting crew saved a sinking ship.

In the end, Lowry deserved to be waived to by Beal, Porter’s defence on DeMar was stifling, JV never got a true chance to make an impact, Pierce’s manipulation was masterful, JJ deserved better treatment, and Wittman out-coached Casey by a country mile.

The next Game Of Thrones looks promising. What about the offseason? Well, it will be hard (not really) to say goodbye to this version of the Raps, but changes are in order. Take it away, Boyz:

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/27/torontos-season-comes-to-a-bitter-end-the-fat-raptor-has-sung/feed/34Notes and Quotes: All the Raptors got on the Planehttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/24/notes-and-quotes-all-the-raptors-got-on-the-plane/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/24/notes-and-quotes-all-the-raptors-got-on-the-plane/#commentsFri, 24 Apr 2015 17:13:30 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=54064Kyle Lowry is 100% healthy. Or not. You try to figure it out. You can tell by Kyle Lowry's voice that he's sick, but he insists "I'm 100%" — J.A. Adande (@jadande) April 24, 2015 Pat on Casey's challenge: "I wasn’t taken aback because I know I want to compete. I know I want to... Read more »

Maybe he’s doing the Amir Johnson thing where he says he’s healthy but grimaces every time he has to take a step. See, Lowry has to play, if for no other reason that there’s a 2% chance that he just might catch fire and win the game for us single-handedly. It’s like buying a lottery ticket. It’s obvious to anyone watching that he’s hurt, and any talk that “this is what he really is” is just BS. What we should be upset about is how his minutes, injury, and return from injury was managed during the regular season by the Raptors organization.

There’s also some response to Casey, who described what he told the team:

“If you’re not going to Washington to compete, don’t come out to the airport. We’ll get you a nice meal somewhere in Toronto at a nice restaurant and you can watch it on television.”

Again. This is the playoffs, effort is not an issue. Nobody on the Raptors is dogging it so no idea what Casey’s issue is here. Patterson responded to the comments:

Pat on Casey's challenge: "I wasn’t taken aback because I know I want to compete. I know I want to play for this team… give it my all"

How are you going to get “tough” when you have the physical limitations Vasquez does? There aren’t many comments from the players about actual adjustments that they might make, and it’s mostly around effort and toughness, which doesn’t fill me with great confidence. Vasquez did acknowledge his physical limitations and offered to compensate for it through some thuggery:

Greivis: "I’m not going to back down. I might not be the greatest athlete but I will hit some big shots and I’m going to hit somebody"

While December 8, 2013 may not hold any historical reference, it does hold a special significance for this current Raptors squad. On this date, a little more than 16 months ago the infamous trade that sent Rudy Gay packing occurred. It’s also the day Kobe Bryant stepped on the Staples Center Court for the first time since his Achilles tendon injury. The short-handed Raptors led by Amir Johnson (who scored a career high 32 points) beat the Lakers.

At the time the Raptors were 6-12.

From this date forward the Raptors went 42- 22 in what I coined the magical season. Highlighting this period, Toronto never lost 3 games in a row, were one of two teams who didn’t suffer a 20 point loss and became known as fourth quarter defensive specialists. Moreover, the playoff starved fan base was witnessing games in May and demonstrating their enthusiasm not just inside the ACC but outside in Jurassic Park and even took over the opponents’ arena.

When the Raptors jumped out to a quick start this season, seemingly picking up where they left off the team and fans were riding high. Almost a year after that game in Los Angeles, on December 30th, the Raptors played perhaps their best game of this season in Portland, albeit losing a heart breaker in overtime. From this point forward something changed. The Raptors have had glimpses here and there since then, but they never fully resembled the 2013-14 squad you instinctively knew would be in every game regardless of the score entering that final frame.

Sure, there have been injuries and personnel changes, but the essence of last year’s team has been AWOL since the loss in Portland.

Entering tonight, the Raptors are in as close to a must win as they’ll get. The Raptors do boast the best Eastern Conference road record over the past two seasons (shared with Chicago) with 44 road victories so it’s not a situation that will unnerve their confidence. However, a third consecutive loss would no doubt induce Wizard fans to show up with brooms on Sunday. For athletes of professional sports and a team who took such pride in their on and off court chemistry this has to be beyond humbling.

Yet, players and coaching staff comments regarding why the team is down 0-2, why they didn’t play with a sense of urgency, didn’t bring enough energy or were playing too comfortable is disconcerting. This is the playoffs after all.

Certainly, they can’t be saying they weren’t prepared for Washington are they? Or weren’t aware of the position they were putting themselves in by losing back to back games on their home court (in the manner they did) right?

Was this an admission they had underestimated the Wizards and were playing with a view beyond this series or weren’t properly prepared? Or is this simply as some pundits have highlighted over the past few days, a matter of a team with far greater talent on its roster beating us?

If its motivation the squad is seeking there are countless articles, tweets, and interviews Casey and his staff can choose from:

Agent zero (Gilbert Arenas) has been spouting off for over a month now regarding both Toronto and Chicago as if he’s expecting to pull on a jersey and run out of that tunnel himself. Most analysts, national media and even knowledgeable fans have declared the series over given the 93.9% success rate of teams who go up 2-0 to start a series.

Perhaps the greater concern is the Washington players’ statements and actions which have been allowed to garner additional media coverage simply because they are winning. We expect it from Paul Pierce its part of his game. And whether you like the “Truth” or despise him, the fact is his comments were masterful, as it obviously got the Raptors focusing on something other than the product on the floor.

But, for the young Bradley Beal to be waving goodbye and curiously spouting off about Toronto “thinking that we’re some punks” (excuse me, but where exactly is he drawing this from? Even Pierce denied this was the case when asked post game). However, it should serve as more than ample inspiration to do exactly that.

From my perspective, at least if Casey is going to continue utilizing Psycho T in his starting line-up then why not have him send a statement early, similar to how Matt Barnes has played his enforcer role for the Clippers. If he’s only going to play in the first quarter then let’s see a hard foul the first time Beal tries to go baseline.

I’m not suggesting he try to injure anyone, but a hard legal foul to set the tone might go a long way to remind Washington (and maybe even the Raptors themselves) of what the Wizards should expect moving forward. In fact, the one player I don’t mind seeing foul out is Hansbrough. Especially if it comes courtesy of doling out 6-hard fouls on the Wizards’guards to send that message.

Of note: for all his bravado (admittedly deserved so far) even Beal might know the We The North faithful is expected to descend on Washington in droves.

We can break down the stats, pull up film clips and discuss the factors why Washington appears poised to book tickets to Atlanta or we can point out one simple fact. These Raptors became successful (even facing more talented teams) because they played as a team and their chemistry ostensibly gave them an edge. They played with a chip on their shoulder knowing they were underestimated and they took to the court with an attitude of “I’ll make you respect me”.

They’ve extolled on this chemistry, and in fairness, unlike many teams we don’t hear of locker room issues in Toronto. But, given that fact the team knows a loss Friday will equate to them handing Masai Ujiri the flint to ignite the dynamite, tonight is their opportunity to respond.

So, if this team truly is as close as they say (and we’ve seen) that should be enough motivation on its own. Further, the fan base who has traveled around the league to overtake arenas in support has earned the privilege of witnessing their very best effort.

Honestly, we could care less what other people say about us. You know if it’s fans, the critics, reporters, analysts, it doesn’t matter. Had we worried about that, we wouldn’t be in the position we are now. Especially last year where everyone was doubting us, and we were able to turn things around. So, with us we understand we’re pretty much playing with our backs against the wall. Game 3, is basically a game that we have to have, plain and simple, black and white. We cannot lose Game 3, and we are all on the same page. We all understand that and we all know we all have to bring our “A” Game and focus. – Patrick Patterson

Don’t get me wrong, I actually expect the Raptors, and more specifically Kyle Lowry to put forth exactly that this evening. Notably, the last time Lowry had back to back games with less than double digit scoring it was March 18th (the last game he played prior to sitting out initially for rest) and March 24 (the game he tried to return in Detroit and played 10 minutes). It was the only time this season that anomaly occurred.

Regardless of the future coaching situation, the injuries, the whistles or the talent across from them, what needs to be present tonight is no question regarding effort, desire, urgency or focus. As much as this series may well be over, a win tonight would at least salvage some pride for this squad and more importantly showcase to the fans they aren’t just getting lip service. Besides, just like the old sports adage goes … you take it one game at a time and you never know what can happen. It is after all the Wizards, who we have had a long history of battles against (Mo Pete hail Mary anyone?)

So, as the Raptors take to the court at the Verizon Center tonight, there should be one goal and one goal only – to bring their very best and earn back some respect: from the media, from the supportive fan base and perhaps most importantly for themselves.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/24/toronto-raptors-seek-to-rediscover-chemistry-gut-check-time/feed/42Raptors Struggle To Tame Team Arrogancehttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/23/raptors-struggle-to-tame-team-arrogance/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/23/raptors-struggle-to-tame-team-arrogance/#commentsThu, 23 Apr 2015 18:53:37 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=54018The Toronto Raptors have played arrogant basketball all season long, refusing to acknowledge their flaws, and now it's coming back to haunt them.

When people think of arrogance they are immediately filled with images of people with an outsized ego forcing their will on everyone around them. They think of people with a fundamental lack of empathy, of people closed-off to opinions other than their own and of people with their chests puffed out and voices that dominate everyone in the room.

There are subtler forms of arrogance, though, and they can be far more pervasive if they are allowed to seep through the bloodstream of a closed-off group of individuals like, say, a professional basketball team.

The Toronto Raptors are an arrogant bunch. They aren’t arrogant in an interpersonal way — the Raptors are a mostly congenial group that get along well together and support each other — but as a basketball team they are one of the most arrogant groups Toronto has ever fielded.

Up and down the roster and through the coaching ranks, arrogance has been a defining characteristic of this club all season long. This team plays arrogant basketball. They play the game like they know something that no one else does, and they do it despite their near total lack of practical accomplishments. They force one-on-one offence even when defences suck the oxygen out of their free space. They refuse to box-out despite getting routinely manhandled on the glass. They reach against penetrating guards rather than moving their feet, which allows any halfway decent player to have a career-night against Toronto’s half-hearted stoppers.

During the regular season, the players sloughed off these inadequacies by implying that they were always one win away from turning it around or that once the Playoffs started none of this would even matter. They felt they were above their own inadequacies, or that they simply didn’t represent them like their self-perceived strengths did. They barely managed a .500 record after January 1st were a sub-.500 team after the All-Star break, and yet they continued to arrogantly assert that nothing was wrong. They continued to play in a way that demonstrated a total lack of understanding as to why they were losing so many games, and now that they Playoffs have arrived, that arrogance is making them look like they don’t even belong on the same court as their opponents. Their total (admitted) lack of urgency Tuesday night in a must-win game two contest speaks to the depths of their arrogance, with the roster figuring they could just show up and play as if they were playing some random game in February, not the most important game of their season.

On Tuesday night, Washington looked like a Playoff team. Their best player, John Wall, was utterly dominant, his supporting cast executed the team’s game plan to perfection, especially on the defensive end, and they routinely pounded Toronto in all of the ways a scouting report would have suggested that they should. The Raptors, meanwhile, looked like an over-matched scrimmage opponent. They haphazardly threw themselves at Washington, insisting on going one-on-one against the NBA’s fifth-best defence, they refused to box out despite getting pounded on the boards (again) and five players had four-or-more fouls because everyone would rather reach and grab than move their feet on defence. It takes a colossal amount of arrogance to continue to play like that while 20, 000 people are watching you get embarrassed, but that’s these Raptors, arrogantly refusing to alter their style of play in the face of all reasonable logic.

You could excuse some of this if a) this was this group’s first trip to the Playoffs or b) if the Wizards had one or two superstars that simply defied any attempts at game-planning against them. Neither of those things are true, however. Last year was supposed to demonstrate how they have to conduct themselves in the postseason so that they’d be ready this year, that was what cushioned the blow of losing to a lower-seeded team. Washington has exactly one All-Star level talent (to Toronto’s two) and the regular season sweep of the club would suggest that Toronto has the personnel to at least put up a fight.

That’s what arrogance robs you of, though. It robs you of the ability to maximize lessons learned. It hardens you against outside influence. It reenforces the echo chamber in the locker room that everything is fine and that they are one game away from turning it around. It’s what lets Paul Pierce taunt DeMar DeRozan into distraction on the eve of the postseason. It’s what lets Kyle Lowry stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the way the refs are calling these games, getting himself into dire foul trouble in both contests. It’s what allows Dwane Casey steadfastly stick to the strategy on the pregame whiteboard rather than adjust to the realities of what is happening on the court. It’s what allows Jonas Valanciunas to think demonstrating frustration is more important than moving on to the next play. It’s what allows Lou Williams to treat a double-team like it’s a dare. It’s what allows the entire roster to act like getting back on defence is beneath them. It’s what allows a division champion to lose two games at home, effectively ending their season four days into the postseason.

All year long we’ve watched this team act like they’ve accomplished something that they haven’t. We’ve watched them turn up their noses at the thought that they might not be as good as they think they are, or that they might have to work harder to get to where they think they deserve to go. If that’s the attitude that they decide to maintain, the Playoff motto will tell them where they actually deserve to go.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/23/raptors-struggle-to-tame-team-arrogance/feed/63Kyle Lowry’s Dip Not Just in Form, but Focushttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/23/kyle-lowrys-dip-not-just-in-form-but-focus/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2015/04/23/kyle-lowrys-dip-not-just-in-form-but-focus/#commentsThu, 23 Apr 2015 14:15:31 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=53994A look at the drop in concentration in Kyle Lowry's game as he picks up three cheap fouls in Game 2.

Kyle Lowy’s struggles and his frustration with himself have been well-documented in this series. His return from back injury during the last four games of the season saw him play heavy minutes to the tune of 33, 36, 35 and 37 in games that were, more or less, meaningless. After picking up a contusion in Game 2, the Raptors star-guard is now struggling for form and fitness, and not helped by facing a backcourt that has proven to be too quick and too nimble for Lowry. (BTW, anybody remember the “best backcourt in the East” argument which just sounds plain silly now).

There is no defensive relief for Lowry, either he’s matched up with John Wall who has no trouble getting past him, or he’s switched onto a bigger guy like Bradley Beal. The latter has made it a point to use his three-point threat to setup drives, all the while making his defenders run through bruising Nene and Marcin Gortat screens. Facing elite competition, Lowry has had no place to hide on defense, and coupled with his lingering injury, mismanagement of his return from that injury, he’s left to find his offense without being at 100%.

Lowry’s offense is predicated on short bursts of speed that get him past defenders, hard pull-ups to setup in-rhythm shots, and three-point shooting. Right now he doesn’t have the speed to blow-by defenders, his pull-up is out of rhythm, and his three-point shot is being contested with an offer to drive at the heart of Washington’s formidable frontline. In the absence of a structured offense where he could play a part instead of being forced to star, Lowry’s left to find his points in a context he’s very unfamiliar with and unprepared for.

All form is temporary, and you can attribute his subpar performances to bad circumstance. What’s been more disappointing, however, are the mental mistakes he’s making, and his reaction to making mistakes. I’ll forgive him for his Game 1 performance and write it off to playoff jitters, but it’s very difficult for me to look past why he made the same mistakes in a must-win game with three full days to think about things in between.

Incessant gambling aside, the three fouls he picked up in Game 2 jeopardized his team and were all avoidable if only minimal precaution and thought would have been taken.

Let’s look at his first foul, where fairly early in the game he’s one-on-one with Wall who has just caught the ball. Instead of laying off Wall, he’s forcing him baseline and bodying him, which is a call a ref will make 10/10 times. In space, nobody in this league can guard John Wall, let alone Lowry. His recognition of his surroundings here is poor and Wall coaxes him into an easy foul. Remember, the Wizards after Game 1 were publicly saying how they made it a point to get Lowry out of the game, and even with that knowledge, he’s made a silly error.

His second is a drop in concentration. There’s no reason to trail John Wall this closely through tight spaces. You’ve already picked up one foul, you know how early foul trouble hurt you in Game 1, and you still invite Wall to draw the easiest foul ever – all Wall has to do is slow down and there’s a trip. Again 10/10 times this gets called. John Wall took him to school here, and Lowry’s frustration after the fact isn’t to do with disagreement with the call, it’s really with himself for allowing to be baited like that.

The third is possibly the most frustrating of the three, because it shows just how disorganized the Raptors defense is. Why DeRozan and Lowry have opted for a switch on the weak side is plain weird, because it’s resulted in Sessions being checked by DeRozan, and the bigger Otto Porter Jr., by Lowry. Porter’s great movement results in a 1-v-1 underneath the rim, and Lowry’s on the wrong side of Porter. He reaches and again, 10/10 times this is a foul. DeRozan’s reaction says it all – he’s frustrated like us.

These mental mistakes are what are plaguing Kyle Lowry, and hurting the Raptors.

With 14 games to go in the regular season, Casey made it a public point to prepare his team for the post-season by tuning up their defense and concentration levels. What we’re seeing right now is a complete failure in preparation, both situational and game-level, and how little we accomplished in those last 14 games despite plenty of warning signs.

As with anything in this series, I don’t have much hopes of the Raptors correcting their ways, because at this point you are what you are. The goal of the regular season is to develop good habits, establish repeatable patterns for success, and sharpen reflexes to deal with adversity, and the Raptors haven’t done that. They’ve rode the heat wave to a record 49 wins, and when circumstances have turned south, their answer is “more of the same, but only better”. To repeat that in a 7-game series where a set of scouts, assistant coaches, and video room guys have had a chance to dissect your simplistic style of play, the odds are stacked against you.

My call for this series was Wizards in 6 and I’m sticking to it, because there’s a good chance that the Raptors, like they have all season, will get hot just on account of having good individual offensive players and the law of averages. It just won’t be for long enough to accomplish anything meaningful.